


A Chance

by Noteventhat (Facialteeth)



Series: Rarepairs [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, BAMF Isabelle Lightwood, Blood and Injury, Drunk confessions, F/M, First Kisses, Flirting, Getting Together, Graphic Injury, Lightwood sibling feels, Mutual Pining, Nervous Jace Herondale, canon AU, jace's pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:55:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Facialteeth/pseuds/Noteventhat
Summary: Whatever was happening between Isabelle and Jace happened slowly, so slowly that both of them silently questioned if it was happening at all or if they were making it up. Eventually though, mostly due to Jace's big mouth, it became hard to ignore.
Relationships: Jace Herondale/Isabelle Lightwood
Series: Rarepairs [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915978
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	A Chance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Polarnacht](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polarnacht/gifts).



> This work is gifted to Polarnacht, for being the sole reason I decided to experiment with this ship in the first place.

Whatever was happening between Isabelle and Jace happened slowly, so slowly that both of them silently questioned if it was happening at all or if they were making it up. They’d been children when they first met and nothing about their relationship had been anything but innocent. Running through the halls of the Institute, causing trouble and having Alec yell at them. Then, they’d been nothing but friends but as they grew older, things slowly started to shift and change.

Jace had always been rather adventurous when it came to his romantic partners. He’d been the first of he, Izzy and Alec to _have_ a romantic partner. Followed quickly by Izzy and then trailing far behind them both, Alec. Max of course was too young to be included in the tally and Jace bristled at the thought of the youngest Lightwood someday growing old enough to be with anyone at all.

Secretly, Jace hoped he’d learn from Alec instead of he and Izzy. While Jace certainly thought Alec had waited far too long and that there was nothing wrong with some meaningless fun, Jace had gotten himself into dangerous situations before, chasing a night of meaningless fun that somehow, became much more.

He recalled one night in particular that he’d gone to faerie with a pretty fae girl and somehow broken a faerie custom he hadn’t known about. He almost hadn’t been allowed to go home but at the last moment, Meliorn had jumped in and saved him. It was situations like that that Jace hoped Max learned from, not that Jace wouldn’t be willing to storm into faerie to rescue the littlest Lightwood, should he need help.

It was also situations like that that made Jace ignore anything between he and Izzy. Though, Izzy wasn’t going to trap him in a forign dimension, things with her were dangerous in their own way. Romantic affairs were messy enough and if things went wrong between the two of them, it could ruin everything. He, Izzy and Alec were a team. They went on every mission together. Even Izzy, who wasn’t part of their parabatai bond, fought with them like they were one.

They knew when to cover for each other. They knew when not to. They knew when the other was planning something. They knew when the other had no plan in mind at all. Even beyond the missions, Jace saw Isabelle everyday. They lived together, more or less. They saw each other every morning for breakfast and at every meeting. Even in their down time, a lot of it they spent together.

If things went wrong between both of them for what might only be a night of indulgence- well, Jace didn’t even want to imagine how royally that would mess up their entire lives. For a long time, Jace uncharacteristically was cautious about it even though he suspected that he and Izzy both would be open to _whatever_ the other wanted.

Jace also in the back of his mind was cautious about the situation for another reason. Everyone else Jace slept with, he could run from. He could completely ignore them when he decided to. He could leave and not have to worry about seeing them again. The moment things got too intimate, it was easy to be done with it but in the same way Jace would not be able to ignore it if things went back, Jace would also not be able to ignore it if things went _well_.

He wouldn’t be able to flee when things got too intimate and Isabelle got so close that it scared him. He wouldn't be able to ignore it if things went beyond a casual fling and Jace found himself in a completely different realm of dating that he’d never really experienced before.

Jace had hooked up with people multiple times but he’d never really _dated_ someone. He’d never opened himself up in the way that it took to be with someone like that. He’d never known how. Alec had found that kind of relationship so easy with Magnus but Jace had never quite been able to do it. Isabelle had longer flings with people than Jace had but even she had never dated someone for very long.

They were both ‘no strings attached’ kind of people and if they both stuck to that, it would be fine but Jace was terrified _he_ wouldn’t. He was terrified he’d get too attached and be humiliated when Isabelle gently put him down. He wasn’t sure he could take that and still have to live in the same building as her.

No, for a long time, Jace had decided it was best if he just ignored any thoughts about what they could be and Isabelle seemed okay with that as well.

Except, apparently Jace was horrible at denying himself anything he even vaguely wanted because the first night he was slightly intoxicated and Isabelle flirted with him, Jace found himself blurting out that they could be good together, if Isabelle wasn’t kidding.

Isabelle, apparently, had been kidding because her only reaction had been her eyes widening. At least, that’s the only reaction Jace remembered and then, she’d said they should talk when they were both sober and the rest of the night was lost in a drunken haze that Jace was more used to than he’d have liked.

He woke up the next morning anxious before he even remembered what had happened the night before and what he’d said. He woke up with a thin layer of sweat across his skin and his heart beating hard in his chest- he’d said that to her, he thought horrified. He’d really, really said that to her.

At first, Jace was determined that he was simply going to face this situation like he normally faced all hard situations in his life- he was going to ignore it and he was going to hope desperately that it just went away on its own. Maybe, Isabelle wouldn’t even remember what he’d said and if he stayed away, she’d simply never bring it up. It just worked out that today was his one day off and excluding any last minute missions, he didn’t have to leave his room at all.

Of course, it was almost as soon as he thought that his phone went off, showing him that there was a demonic peak downtown, most likely a demon and that he, Izzy and Alec were being requested to go out and handle. Then, it only made sense that Alec called him, explaining that he was out of the country with Magnus, helping him handle some disaster a young warlock had made with dark magic. So, it would only be he and Izzy who would be going on the mission.

Jace debated for a moment coming up with some excuse about why he couldn’t go but he couldn’t do that. This was his job and he wasn’t going to let Isabelle go on a mission alone and risk getting hurt because he’d fucked up the night before and said something he shouldn’t have. Still, he let himself indulge in the thought of it for a moment, pretending that he could get out of it that easily.

Then, Jace got up, got dressed and started to walk out to the lobby, where Isabelle was already waiting for him. As they picked out their weapons, Jace updated her on what was going on with Alec and then, they both started to head out the door.

As they walked, Isabelle bumped her shoulder into his own. “I bet I can get the first kill.”

Instantly, a smile came across Jace’s face and the anxiety in his chest eased somewhat. Apparently, Jace hadn’t messed up _that_ bad. Maybe, she really didn’t remember what he said. Jace turned to her, grinning, “I doubt it. Alec isn’t here to get the first kill from up high, so it’s going to be _me_.”

Isabelle got the first kill and the second, much to Jace’s dismay.

They handled most of the demons quickly and without hassle. It was a small group of lower level demons, ones that went down with a few quick jabs, ones that left them to show off a little without worry that they’d get distracted and get cut in half by a stray claw.

Except, the demons had apparently missed that memo because Jace in fact did get distracted and he did, more or less, get cut in half by a stray claw. The thing was, it wasn’t exactly Jace’s fault. In fact, Jace would go as far as to say that it was not his fault at all and that it was Isabelle’s fault completely.

See, the thing that Jace had just started to think they’d never talk about again, just happened to come up in the middle of a battle against their demonic foe. Jace thought Isabelle had horrible timing but they had been bickering before she said it, talking over the sound of their blades and the spray of ichor about how they were each, respectively, the best at fighting demons.

Jace had just been in the middle of insisting that he was the best (which he thought was undermined by the fact that he got hurt not two minutes later), when Isabelle had looked over at him, cut down one of the last demons and said, “If you admit that I’m better, I might just let you kiss me.”

Now, Jace really didn’t think it was his fault when his eyes snapped over to her and he completely missed the only demon left, the one he’d been about to finish off, slashing at his chest, right through it and then moving out the other side.

Isabelle was there in less than a second but the damage was already done. Jace watched her in slow motion as she cut the demon clean in half. The claw still embedded in his chest disappeared and Jace was left standing with blood dripping down his body, before he finally crumpled to the ground.

Instantly, Isabelle was over him. Her eyes were serious and focused, darting around as she carved runes into his body, runes that they both knew would slow the bleeding and do not much more. His injuries were covered in venom and demon blood. He was going to need the silent brothers or a warlock to come pull it all out of his chest, if he made it that far anyway.

Jace laid his head down on the concrete and the only thing he could think was that he was not going to die because a lower level demon that was hardly even a threat at all. He was not going to die because Isabelle flirted with him and he’d gotten distracted. He was not going to die.

Except, that might not be completely in his control, if the blood that was streaming out of his chest was anything to go by.

Suddenly, Jace realized that Isabelle was talking, though her words already sounded so far away. He was losing a lot of blood. Way too much blood.

“Why didn’t you kill it?” Isabelle snapped, her hands desperately trying to hold him together and stop the blood all in one motion. Her phone was out, the screen lit, smeared with blood. She had to have texted someone, probably someone at the Institute, telling them to come quickly.

“You distracted me,” Jace managed to say, his words nothing but a hush. His head was spinning. Everything was fading in and out and he felt light, like he was floating above the ground. It wouldn’t have been a horribly bad feeling, if his chest wasn’t lit in excruciating pain.

“You were _supposed_ to kill it,” Isabelle continued frantically, seeming almost like she wasn’t listening to him at all.

Jace laughed softly, a sound that ended in a whimper as it made his chest move. “Does that mean I don’t get a kiss?” Jace murmured. He wouldn’t have said it normally but he was having a hard time focusing on anything at all, let alone the fact that maybe he shouldn’t say what was coming out of his mouth.

Isabelle froze above him. Jace could see that her eyes were wet with tears and after a second of hesitation, she leaned down and Jace felt her lips press into his own. He was either so overwhelmed or he’d simply lost so much blood that he passed out because after that, everything faded into darkness.

Jace recognized the sound of the Institute’s infirmary before he even looked around. He could hear the machines, the sounds of feet on the cold tile and when Jace opened his eyes, that’s exactly where he was. He could feel the scratchy blanket across his lap and the tight dull ache of pain in his chest, where he’d been hurt.

When Jace opened his eyes, Isabelle was there, exactly like she’d been when he’d passed out. Only this time, she was asleep. Jace’s eyes flickered over to the window. It was dark. Clearly, he’d been asleep for a while.

Jace tried to sit up, determined to stay quiet and not wake her but when he shifted wrong and fell back against the bed again, groaning in pain, she was awake in a second.

She jumped up, her eyes alert as they darted around to look for danger before finally settling on Jace when she remembered where they were. They held eye contact for a few long moments before she moved, hitting his arm a little lighter than she normally would have. “How could you do that?” She snapped, her eyes nothing but infuriated. “I thought you were going to die right after I-”

Jace grimaced. He’d hoped his injury would be enough to spare him this conversion but clearly not. “Right after you pity kissed me?” He asked, trying to quirk an eyebrow at her and not quite managing the expression through the pain.

Instantly, Isabelle faltered. “I didn’t pity kiss you,” she said, sounding horrified at the thought.

“No, you just kissed me because you thought I was dying. That’s not pity at all,” Jace said as he looked over to her, watching as she stammered to try and respond.

“I kissed you because I thought you were dying, yes but only because I didn’t think we’d get the chance to do it later. I wouldn’t have kissed you if I didn’t want to, not even if you were dying.”

Jace looked over at her and he could tell that she was completely serious but it still took a few moments for the words to sink in. In Jace’s defense, he had just woken up after coming very close to death. His thoughts were a little scrambled.

“You’re just saying that because I’m hurt,” Jace murmured.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Isabelle said instantly and Jace knew that was the case. Isabelle was not one to say something just for someone else sake, especially when it came to romance. She would not lead Jace on, no matter how hurt he was but that still made no sense to him.

It couldn’t be this easy. After not saying something for this long, it couldn’t be this easy and yet, it almost seemed like it was. Now, that didn’t exactly get rid of any of the other reasons Jace had been so nervous to say something. After he was healed, even just after today, they could feel differently. Things could go differently and could go completely wrong after this but… For now, the cat was already out of the bag and god, Jace was in so much pain.

It really couldn’t be that horrible of him to just let himself relax and accept that this was a thing for now. It really couldn’t hurt to just let himself enjoy this, whatever this was between them for however long it lasted.

“Does that mean I could get another kiss?” Jace asked, looking over to Isabelle with a playful expression that he managed to pull off much more than the one he’d tried when he was bleeding out on the floor.

Isabelle rolled her eyes, already moving to stand and assumably tell someone he was awake. “You’re pushing your luck now,” she called over her shoulder, leaving Jace to do nothing but grin.

Anything else would have felt too easy with Isabelle but for her, Jace really wouldn’t mind waiting, especially because later she did come forward, duck her head down and kiss him, just before Alec came storming through the door, furious that Jace had dared to get hurt at all.

All and all, even with the injury that landed Jace in the infirmary, he couldn’t really say it was a bad mission. As for the future? Well, that was still up in the air but for the moment, Jace was hopeful and Isabelle seemed very keen to remind him of the embarrassing circumstances that had gotten him hurt in the first place, much to Jace’s dismay and secret amusement.


End file.
